Drapery and drapery hanging device



May 30, 119%? G. PALELLA AND DRAPERY HANGING DEVI DRAPERY Filed Sept. 8, 1964 INVENTOR GLUWEA WA L E LIMA ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofi 3,322,182 Patented May 30, 1967 ice 3,322,182 DRAPERY AND DRAPERY HANGING DEVICE Gloria Palella, 5 Piper Court, White Plains, N .Y. 10607 Filed Sept. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 394,784 3 Claims. (Cl. 160-344) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in draperies, curtains, shades, and the like, and to fixtures or supporting devices for the hanging thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to novel draperies of the class usually termed Roman or Austrian shades wherein a flexible curtain is suspended by the upper edge thereof from a horizontally disposed supporting rod and pull cords, having one extremity attached or connected to the curtain adjacent the lower or bottom edge thereof, are employed for raising and lowering the curtain.

In shades or draperies of the character with which we here are concerned it is essential that the curtain be suspended by its upper edge from a suitable support and it also is necessary that means be provided for guiding the pull cords employed for raising and lowering the curtain in the passage or travel of these cords from adjacent the lower edge of the curtain to a point at one side thereof, so that there will be no entanglement or needless wear upon the cords and the curtain may be manipulated efiiciently and conveniently.

In accordance with conventional practices, in curtains of this character, the cord guiding means has been main tained in a board, valance, cornice, or the like, and difiiculties often are encountered since such units require not only careful measuring and custom manufacture but also individual and expert installation, all of these factors adding materially to the cost thereof.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present inand a novel drape hanging device which structurally and functionally combines means for attachnipulated readily, without possibility of entanglement or needless wear, to raise or lower the curtain as may be desired and where the only physical installation required is the attachment of wall brackets, or the like, for the support of the rod.

'It is a further object of the invention to provide, in combination with a novel Roman or Austrian shade as described hereabove, novel and decorative means for the display of such shades.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide device, particularly intended for use in connection with Roman or Austrian shades, which will provide for complete flexibility insofar as size, shape, width, or other characteristics of the shades are concerned.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel drape hanging device whereby Roman and Austrian shades may be hung in combination with ordinary dr-apes, cafe curtains, and the like, such combinations having been unknown heretofore.

It is a still further object of .the present invention to provide a novel drape of the Roman or Austrian shade type and novel drape hanging devices which may be assembled completely, that is, the shade may be secured to the novel hanging devices and these devices may be attached firmly to the supporting rod, and the assembled shade then is ready for hanging as a complete unit.

Additional advantages of the invention are to be found in simplicity of construction, ease of assembly, eflicient and dependable operation, and adaptability to convenient and economical manufacture and installation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a rear elevational view of a novel drape of the Roman shade type embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary front perspective view of the drape of FIGURE 1 disclosing the shade in partially elevated position and illustrating the folds or pleats created by the raising operation;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view through one of the novel combined shade suspending means and cord guiding means of the present invention, taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view, on a somewhat enlarged scale, illustrating the combined shade suspending and cord guiding means detached;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating an upper corner of a Roman shade constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the locking cap of the cord guiding means, illustrating an ornamental tassel suspended thereon.

As shown in the drawings, particular reference being had to FIGURE 1 thereof, the shade or any suitable means such as stitching or the like. drape 10 is suspended from a suitable horizontally disthat the diameter and rod 11 will be proportioned in accordance with the width, length and weight of the drape and suitable bracket-s (not shown and as is well known 1n this art) are employed for mounting the rod upon where the drape is to be hung. If desired, a horizontally disposed tape 12 may shade, adjacent the bottom edge thereof, to provide a tubular enclosure within Wl'llCl'l a rod 12a may be retained, thereby providing additional weight and body to the bottom edge of the shade, thus insuring proper hanging and improving the appearance thereof.

The shade 10 is provided, adjacent the upper edge thereof, with a plurality of uniformly spaced eyelets 13, intended for engagement with suspending or supporting more fully hereafter. It will a be understood that the number of eyelets 13 provided or the width and weight of the:

all in the same direction, to one side edge of the drape where the plurality of pull cords are grouped and permitted to depend downwardly, the free extremities being united into a convenient grasping element illustrated as a ring-like member 15a. Suitable means is proa vided, as will be described more fully hereafter, for guiding each pull cord in its laterally extending position or run, such means effectively preventing entanglement of the pull cords and obviating needless wear thereon during the-raising and lowering of the shade.

Adjustable brackets 01' clamps indicated generally at 16 are provided, as illustrated more particularly in FIGURE 4 of the drawing, for suspending the drape from the rod 11, these brackets being mounted upon the rod 11 at longitudinally and uniformly spaced locations. The number of brackets or clamps 16 should correspond to the number of eyelets 13 and the brackets are so spaced upon the rod 11 that a bracket is in direct vertical alignment with an eyelet 13 and vertical row of cord guiding rings.

Each bracket is of strap-like configuration and includes a central portion 16a which encircles or embraces the rod 11 and terminates in a depending pair of substantially parallel portions or ears 16b which are provided With substantially centrally located apertures 160 located in direct alignment. Suitable fastening means is provided for securing each bracket 16 to the supporting rod 11 and in the preferred form illustrated such fastening means includes a threaded stud 17 having an enlarged head portion 17a terminating in an eye-like extension 17b. An internally threaded cap member 18 is provided, having an enlarged and ornamental knob portion 18a, for engagement with the externally threaded portion of the stud 17. It will be understood that in mounting each clamp 16 upon the rod 11,v and suspending'the shade 10 therefrom, the threaded stud is first passed through the aperture 160 in one of the ears 16b of the clamp, then through an eyelet 13 in the shade 10, and then through the com- .panion aperture 16c in the other ear 16b of the bracket Tightening of the cap member 18 will securely lock the clamp or bracket 16 in adjusted position upon the supporting rod 11. Care should be exercized in installation to insure that the eye-like extension 1712 of each locking stud is disposed in a vertical position so that the pull cord from the associated row of guide rings may be passed through the adjacent eye-like extension and then extended laterally to be threaded progressively through successive eye-like extensions to one side of the shade. The raising of the shade, by manipulation of the pull cords results in the material of the drape hanging in sets of folds 100 (see FIGURE 1) as in Roman shades, or in gathered scallops as in Austrian shades (not shown).

If desired, for purposes of ornamentation and as illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawing, each knob-like extension 18a of the threaded caps 18 may serve to support an ornamental tassel or the like 19 to complement the tassels 10b and enhance the appearance of the shade.

There has thus been described a novel drape and novel drape supporting means Where said supporting means serve the combined functions of suspending the shade from a supporting rod and carefully guiding the pull cords whereby the drape may be raised and lowered. Entanglement and needless wear on pull cords has been obviated. Further, no great skill is required in connection with assembly, adjustment of the spacing of the suspending brackets upon the supporting rod being accomplished with particular facility and it being an extremely simple matter to complete the assembly of the shade upon the supporting rod and to hang the drape, as a single unit, upon appropriate wall brackets.

It will be obvious to those skilled in this art that various changes may be made in the invention Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and the invention is not considered limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification and reference therefore is bad to the claims for summaries of the essentials of the invention, of the novel features of construction, and of the novel combinations of parts, for all of which protection is desired.

1 claim:

1. In a drape of the character described, a horizontally disposed supporting rod, a flexible curtain suspended by its upper edge from said supporting rod, a plurality of vertical rows of uniformly spaced pull cord guide rings secured to the rear surface of said flexible curtain, a plurality of pull cords associated with said vertical rows of guide rings and the lower extremity of each of said pull cords being connected to said curtain adjacent the lower edge thereof for raising and lowering said drape, each of said pull cords extending through the adjacent vertical row of guide rings, and combined curtain suspending and cord guiding means comprising a plurality of clamps positioned upon said rod at longitudinally spaced points in vertical alignment with said rows of guide rings, and fastening elements securing said clamps to said supporting rod and simultaneously attaching the upper edge of said curtain to said clamps, each of said fastening elements including an eye-like portion, said pull cords passing slidably through said eye-like portions to a side edge of said drape.

2. A drape as set forth in claim 1 where said curtain is provided with a plurality of spaced eyelets adjacent the upper edge thereof and one of said fastening elements extends through each of said eyelets.

3. A drape as set forth in claim 2 where each clamp includes a pair of spaced and depending apertured ears, the upper edge portion of said curtain being receivable between said ears, said fastening element extending through the apertures in said ears and through an associated eyelet in said curtain.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 740,090 9/1903 Cohen 16-87.2 978,219 12/1910 Sarkisian -344 1,244,748 10/1917 Larson 16-872 1,447,126 2/1923 Dwyer 16-872 2,444,166 6/1948 Lesavoy 160-330 3,160,202 12/1964 Rosen 160-344 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Examiner. P. C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A DRAPE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SUPPORTING ROD, A FLEXIBLE CURTAIN SUSPENDED BY ITS UPPER EDGE FROM SAID SUPPORTING ROD, A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL ROWS OF UNIFORMLY SPACED PULL CRD GUIDE RINGS SECURED TO THE REAR SURFACE OF SAID FLEXIBLE CURTAIN, A PLURALITY OF PULL CORDS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID VERTICAL ROWS OF GUIDE RINGS AND THE LOWER EXTREMITY OF EACH OF SAID PULL CORDS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID CURTAIN ADJACENT THE LOWER EDGE THEREOF FOR RAISING AND LOWERING SAID DRAPE, EACH OF SAID PULL CORDS EXTENDING THROUGH THE ADJACENT VERTICAL ROW OF GUIDE RINGS, AND COMBINED CURTAIN SUSPENDING AND CORD GUIDING MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CLAMPS POSITIONED UPON SAID ROD AT LONGITUDINALLY SPACED POINTS IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID ROWS OF GUIDE RINGS, AND FASTENING ELEMENTS SECURING SAID CLAMPS TO SAID SUPPORTING ROD AND SIMULTNEOUSLY ATTACHING THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID CURTAIN TO SAID CLAMPS, EACH OF SAID FASTENING ELEMENTS INCLUDING AN EYE-LIKE PORTION, SAID PULL CORDS PASSIN SLIDABLY THROUGH SAID EYE-LIKE PORTIONS TO A SIDE EDGE OF SAID DRAPE. 